


The Making of an Alpha

by CaptainoftheRirenShip



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Erwin Smith, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Omega Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2018-07-26 00:03:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7552393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainoftheRirenShip/pseuds/CaptainoftheRirenShip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erwin threw his life away trying to answer the questions left the night he lost his parents. When he meets Levi, one of the kind he has sought after, the vampire offers him all of that knowledge, at the price of his ensured safety. But when Erwin's world starts to change for the worse, he realizes Levi may be more than your common vampire. Vampire!AU/Omegaverse baby. Eruri.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Short first chapter, but I didn't want to add to it. I like how this ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short first chapter, but I didn't want to add to it. I like how this ends.

Hange pushed their glasses up further on their nose, giving their companion a judgemental stare over the book they were reading. "I still think you're just speculating too seriously, Erwin. It's wishful thinking."

An ornate lamp dimly lit the brunet's library, hidden in their attic, away from prying eyes. It threw light on the nearest bookshelf, enough to see the titles of dusty old tomes, and was perfect lighting to see the pages of the novella in their hands. They were curled up in a bright pink bean bag, while their tidy blond friend opted to stretch across an old loveseat. The book in his hands read,  _Creatures of the Night, Volume 4: Lurking._  It was one he'd read and re-read many times, and Hange merely roller their eyes and returned to their novella. They missed the insisting stare the large blond gave them in response.

"Wishful, Hange? Why would I wish for it?"

"Face it, Erwin, you're a nut. You _live_  for that theory. I bet you'd chop off your right leg just to meet a real vampire."

He ignored that comment, knowing full well he really would. "Just look at the facts, Hange. Especially these recent cases - they're a dead giveaway."

Hange shook their head, heaving an exasperated sigh. "I'll agree when you find a real one and introduce us. Until then, you're crazy."

"When I was little - " Erwin began, but Hange cut him off.

"Yes, yes, Erwin. You've told me a thousand times all about the supposed vampire of your past." Hange rolled their eyes. "It was probably a fever dream, caused by the heat of the fire. Hell, it could have been a vampire, but that was over twenty years ago, Erwin. We were so certain they were extinct then; they definitely are now."

"I'm not crazy," Erwin grumbled.

He could see it like it was yesterday. The pale, ivory skin, the long, jet-black locks, the horrifying red irises that matched the crimson dripping from thin lips. The heat that consumed him as that monster brought him to safety. So muddled, even at the time, only clouded more with age, but he remembered those details clearly.

"Hopeful, perhaps. Speculating, definitely. But crazy? Far from it." Erwin sighed, leaning against the armrest and threading his fingers through his hair. "I just want answers, Hange."

"You have answers," Hange responded dully.

"It just seems like there's so much missing from the stories," Erwin pressed. "We have such little information on those creatures. There has to be more to it. To them. Don't you want to learn more?"

"I did," Hange said, "but it's impossible. They're all dead, vampires and war heroes alike. Any documents that may have existed on them have long since perished."

"But isn't it possible  _something_  survived?" Erwin tried. "Books like these - " He held up the one he'd been reading. " - had to have gotten their information from somewhere. Couldn't someone or something have slipped through the cracks and survived all this time?"

"For 200 years?" Hange scoffed. "Get real, Erwin. We'd have noticed them by now, and I mean more than your childhood fantasies."

That one stung, but Erwin would not be deterred. "Unless we've severely underestimated them," he argued. "There  _are_  traces of them. We  _have_  noticed. People have just dismissed them."

" _Possible_  traces, Erwin. It's possible there are still vampires - a tiny, practically miniscule possibility. It's far from plausible."

Silence took over after their words. Erwin knew he would get nowhere with them. As open and excited as Hange was with nearly everything, for some unknown reason, vampires were the exception. They were completely against his theories, totally convinced it was all bogus. Erwin never understood why such an open, accepting person would close off so dispassionately at the mention of a myth. Erwin's theories ranged from the possibility of them being bored, to speculation about their mysterious, unspoken past.

Whatever the reason, he didn't think he'd ever know or convince them. The duo talked about it all the time, and the results never changed. So, instead of pressing the matter, he returned to his book, and their nightly reading ritual resumed.

He knew he wasn't crazy. He'd always known his encounter with that vampire was real, and not a figment of a young, traumatized imagination. Hange didn't have to believe him. They didn't know what they were talking about.

Erwin knew. He'd known since that fateful day.

_"Erwin, where are you?! Erwin!"_

He could hear his father's screams, begging, pleading his son to come out, to show up so he could save his child from the flames. But Erwin was preoccupied; even with the flames surrounding him, the heat licking at his skin and blistering his feet, he couldn't take his eyes off the woman before him.

She was beautiful, even as the blood dripped down her chin and stained the lacy white collar of her dress, even as he realized that was his mother's blood, even as he saw her grotesque corpse slumped on the floor. The woman was breathtaking.

_"You monster! Give me back my son! Erwin!"_

_"Erwin,"_  the woman breathed, her voice like an audible representation of the night, of the winking stars and the ethereal light the moon cast over the land. _"I bet you're a wonderful son, Erwin._ "

 _"What is your son like?"_  little Erwin asked the beautiful woman, and pain flashed in her eyes.

_"I don't have one. Would you like to be my son?"_

_"Sure,"_  Erwin told her, and she smiled, scooping him up in her arms.

 _"Then let's go home,"_  she said softly.

Erwin nodded numbly, unable to take his eyes off her face as she navigated the burning home. But before she could reach the exit, there was a cry of outrage, and his father appeared from seemingly nowhere, barreling into the woman and sending his son tumbling from her arms.

Like that, the spell had broken, and all Erwin knew to do was run.

"Erwin?"

Hange was staring down at him in concern.

"You were talking in your sleep."

"I was dreaming."

"What was it about?" they asked. "Same as always?"

"Yeah," Erwin said, furrowing his eyebrows. "And I still can't remember."

.-.-.-.-.

The sign of the nightclub was dim, and flickered slightly overhead. The bouncer gave Erwin and his friends a friendly farewell as they exited the building, laughing and joking, his scraggly buddy Nile hanging on two others' shoulders for support.

"Pixis has Nile's car covered," Mike said, pointing at the poor mess hobbling into the cab. "He'll make sure it doesn't get towed overnight and he can get it in the morning."

"That's good of him," Erwin replied, eyebrows furrowing in concern at his large friend's pink cheeks. "And you?"

"I got a cab here to make sure," Mike reassured him. He sure was talktative under the influence, Erwin noted. "Are you sure you don't want a ride with me?"

"Oh, no," Erwin told him hastily. "I'm sober enough to walk two blocks."

"If you're sure. Be careful on the way home, Erwin. I'll see you Monday."

"You too. See you Monday."

And with that, they parted ways, a taxi pulling up beside Mike as Erwin rounded the corner.

He pulled his windbreaker up slightly, ducking his head in the warm fabric to hide his lower face from the harsh, cold wind. It didn't help as much as he'd hoped, but he fought against the elements still. Clouds swirled overhead, and he hoped it wouldn't start snowing before he reached his apartment. At least the light buzz of alcohol attempted to keep his nose and ears warm, for which he was thankful.

It was dark and the street was mostly deserted, but Erwin had walked this area many times and was used to the silence. So, naturally, when a moan of pain reached his ears from a narrow gap between buildings, he had to go investigate.

The blond backtracked a few steps, peering wearily into the small, dark space. His eyes strained to adjust to the lack of light, but it was unsuccessful, so instead he pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight. It dimly lit the space, but the darkness was too overwhelming for it to account for much. Still, he could definitely see something in the dim light, a black mass huddled on the dirty ground a few feet away. Erwin inched closer, identifying it as a person and inwardly heaving a sigh of relief that he hadn't walked dumbly into some stupid raccoon attack. (Which he totally hadn't done before. Shut up.)

He knelt down, gingerly rolling the person over and checking them over. From what he could see, there was no sign of physical injury, but the dim lighting only showed so much. Gently, he reached out and shook the small form.

"Are you okay?"

Immediately, Erwin felt like an idiot. They weren't even conscious, as was made obvious by his poking and prodding. He looked over the body once more as he silently reprimanded himself, the internal beration only increasing when he realized with a jolt he should most definitely check for a pulse.

He picked up a thin wrist, wincing at the icy cold skin, and pressed his fingers to the vein, waiting in silence. Nothing. But perhaps their pulse was faint, he reasoned; he was no medical professional. So he hovered a hand over the figure's mouth and nose, waiting for that telltale breeze on his hand and watching the person's chest for signs of breathing.

After several moments, Erwin couldn't fool himself into believing they were alive. Sighing to himself, he stood, resigning to the fact that this person was beyond what he could do to help. He'd call emergency services and let them know what he found, and be on his way. This definitely wasn't how he wanted to end his night, but what else could he do?

_"Mortal . . . "_

Erwin's shout caught in his throat as an icy cold hand grasped his wrist in a vicelike grip, sharp nails digging deep enough into the skin to draw blood. Erwin glanced down and found brilliant crimson eyes, ones that pierced into his very being and commanded obedience, leaving him feeling vulnerable. The small body trembled violently and their eyes closed as they managed another word.

_" . . . help . . . "_

The grip slackened enough that the pain of those talons ebbed, but not enough for the hand to fall away completely. The person - no, thing - had fallen completely silent.

There was no doubt in Erwin's mind as he obediently scooped up the frail form and backed out of the alley, hurrying towards home. There was no sign of life. No breathing, no pulse. This creature was undoubtedly dead. And yet he'd seen it open its eyes, had heard its voice, grating and desparate, a demanding hiss to cover the pleading.

The realization that he was carrying a vampire - a creature of myth and legends whose existence he'd tried so hard to prove - was satisfying, but he couldn't help wishing he'd given up like Hange had told him to.

This thing was dangerous, and he'd be lying if he'd said he wasn't terrified.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck it. I'm working on this. It's utter trash, but I'm going for it. I've been excited for ages.
> 
> For those who expressed their concern, no, there will not be mpreg. It is possible in this universe, but will not be happening to any of the main characters.
> 
> Levi's eye color matters.

Beautiful.

Erwin was shocked when he finally stopped to observe the man - it had become clear the person was male after holding him and seeing him in the light - that he'd saved. Well, stopped to help. He wasn't sure that he'd done anything helpful in the slightest. He had taken the man home and laid him down to rest, as well as gathered water for him in case he needed it when he awoke. Assuming the man could even drink water.

Not exactly man, but monster. Creature. If there was any question as to what this thing was before, it had vanished now, as Erwin gazed at the silent form nestled in the sheets. The serene beauty of this man was otherworldly; no human could compare. He reminded Erwin so much of the woman of his youth, and he found himself wondering if they all had such dark ebony hair like that.

They weren't related - no, Erwin nipped that possibility right in the bud, though it would be exciting if they had been. Something straight from Hange's novellas. But no; his face was all angles where hers had been soft, his lips thin where hers were thick, just to name a few things. But they didn't need to be related to learn what he wanted to know.

The vampire looked so sickly, though. He was pale, his skin holding a nearly deathly pallor, which allowed the dark circles under his eyes to become extremely evident. His cheeks were sunken and gaunt. Had Erwin really done anything to help? He'd always heard vampires were powerful beings. What, exactly, could put one in such a weak state? The blond didn't even have a pulse or breathing to go by, and every second ticking past worried him further.

Of course, he was assuming the creature wouldn't wake and maul him, but that was far from his first concern, even if it was a wise one.

Just as Erwin leaned in close to observe closer, the unconscious man's eyelids twitched, and then they opened. Dull crimson eyes stared up at him unblinkingly. The alarm bells in Erwin's mind were distant, ringing urgently, but smothered by intrigue.

"Alpha?"

Alpha? What? Who? And were the eyes glowing brighter? Yes, they were a ruby red now. And seemingly getting closer -

"Ow!"

Erwin let out a yelp as the vampire sprung upright in panic and their foreheads knocked together painfully. The blond scrambled back and fell out of his chair, rubbing his head and staring, bewildered, at the creature on his bed. Blue eyes studied him closely, the panic replaced with cautious intrigue.

"Where am I?"

Erwin was shocked by his voice. Soft, but slightly rough. From disuse, perhaps? "My home," he responded, just as cautious. "We're not far from where I found you. Are you - you know - okay?"

"I'm fine," the vampire said, perhaps a bit too guarded. As if on cue, he winced, and Erwin did his best to pretend not to notice. After regaining his composure, the ravenet continued, "I should go. I've imposed on your hospitality enough."

"Hey, hold on!" Erwin hurried to stop the vampire from moving out of the bed with a hand on his shoulder. "You're not imposing. I brought you here for a reason."

 _"I_ brought  _you_ here, human," the creature corrected, eyes narrowing. He pushed Erwin's hands away. "I appreciate the sentiment, but you wouldn't have been able to resist the magic if you tried."

"You're still not well," the blond argued, reaching again. "Let me help you. You're sick."

"Let me  _go!"_

And then the coughing started - deep, raspy coughs that shook the vampire's frail body, leaving him gasping for breath. Erwin panicked when he saw the blood that spilled from those pale lips, desperately caught in trembling hands to keep it off of the sheets. It was oddly considerate of him, crawling off of the bed to avoid staining the covers. Erwin hurried to help him to his feet.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?!"

"I'm weak," he managed, the coughing subsiding. The vampire trembled like a leaf in the wind, struggling to keep himself upright. "Don't have enough power to mend my injuries - "

Another fit of violent coughs interrupted him. Erwin panicked at the sight of red everywhere, covering the creature's hands, the front of his tattered shirt, dripping down his chin and staining his teeth. The blond glanced around for something that the vampire could cough into,  _anything,_ as he crumpled to the floor.

Then an idea struck him, and he tentatively held his hand out toward the vampire. He glanced up, searching for Erwin's face, but his eyes stopped short and zeroed in on that veiny wrist, and Erwin could have sworn he saw the blue turn to red.

"This . . . will help, right?"

"It will." The shaking was starting to look more like self restraint than weakness. "But I can't. Shouldn't . . . "

He trailed off, staring longingly at the wrist as he suppressed another cough.

"You can go for it. I don't mind."

Those eyes were definitely red now. Erwin felt he should be scared, but instead a blanket of calm settled over him. He really didn't mind.

"You're sure?" the vampire rasped. Erwin nodded slowly.

"I'm sure. I don't see why - "

The consent was all the ravenet seemed to be waiting for, because he didn't let Erwin finish before lunging for the exposed skin. Fangs pierced flesh, and Erwin inhaled sharply at the pain that scorched through his veins.

"Fuck!"

A euphoric moan clashed with his violent response, and he found himself staring, wide-eyed, at the vampire latched to his wrist. Crimson orbs glowed brightly behind thick lashes, and when Erwin looked into them, the same out-of-place calm settled over him from before, and the fire crawling under his skin vanished. Was it all the vampire's doing?

He didn't know if it was a few seconds, minutes, or even an eternity, but eventually, those teeth retracted, and a tongue over the punctures lapped up what had leaked from the wound. Blood staining his lips, the vampire stood, and Erwin knew he wasn't imagining how much more stable he seemed.

He also couldn't be imagining how cold and sleepy he was. Why were his eyelids dragging like this?

"A sedative," the vampire answered, and Erwin knew he'd done this a thousand, a million times before. "To stop the pain, and make sure you rest from the blood loss properly."

Erwin's knees gave on him, processing much too late how weak he felt. The ravenet helped him up effortlessly and helped him onto the mattress, pulling the covers over his large frame.

"Wait," the blond slurred, reaching out. The vampire accepted his hand. Was it supposed to be that warm? "What's your name?"

The vampire gave a soft, oddly genuine little smile as he sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes were blue again, blue and gentle.

"Levi."

They flashed silver, and he passed his free hand over his savior's face.

"Now, sleep."

And Erwin slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short but (hopefully) sweet


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> erwin is always such a ridiculously bland asshole in my fics and i really just wanna capture a more favorable, human side of him in this one
> 
> changed a minor but also important detail last chapter, check it out

_Warm . . ._

Through the haziness of lifting unconsciousness that fogged his mind, Erwin could tell he was warm. Very warm. The warmth was radiating from something pressed up against him, nestled comfortably in the curve of his body, its head resting against his chest. Mumbling something so incoherent that even he wasn't sure what it was supposed to be, Erwin pulled the small form against his chest and nuzzled a mop of silky hair as his eyes flickered open sleepily.

_Wait . . . warm?_

"Awake, are you?"

Erwin let out a rather unflattering yelp when the bundle of blissful warmth spoke in an amused chuckle, and he hurried to disentangle himself from the creature. A chuckle reached his ears, and he blinked rapidly, trying to speed the process of his vision clearing. He didn't know if it helped, really, but he saw pretty blue eyes crinkled at the corners, and then a face shimmered into view, much too close to his own.

The vampire - Levi, his mind helpfully supplied - hovered over him on all fours, amusement written all over his face in the squinting eyes and crooked smile. It took a moment for Erwin to realize Levi was checking him over, and a warm hand pressed against his forehead moments later. Levi held it there for a few moments, staring intensely into his eyes, and Erwin fidgeted under the stare. Then, nodding to himself in what seemed to be satisfaction, he withdrew his hand.

"You recovered well. No fever, good blood circulation." The vampire sat up, crossing his arms. Erwin had so many questions, but Levi didn't give him an opportunity to ask them. "You've gotten quite a few messages over the past two days."

"Two days?"

Erwin rubbed at his eyes blearily, a little more comfortable now that he had space and Levi had proven he wasn't going to maul him or anything. It took a long moment, but the memories from before he passed out came back in a rush, and he made a strangled noise between a grunt and gasp as he tried to get up.

"Two days! Zoe must be worried sick!" His eyes flickered to his wrist, and he did a double take at the sight of smooth, unmarred skin. "What the -  _what?_ Didn't you - ?"

"I did," Levi intercepted with all the quiet patience of a kindergarten teacher explaining something to a baffled five year old. "I bit you, and admittedly, perhaps got a little carried away. So I sealed it up, and stuck around to make sure you didn't die because of me." He shifted, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "Don't worry about your friend for the moment. You have other concerns, I'm sure."

Erwin nodded mutely. Levi stuck around to make sure he didn't die. That was . . . more compassion than he expected from an undead immortal, though he didn't exactly know standard vampire hospitality, either. Did he really have a vampire in his bedroom? Sitting across from him?

Erwin mirrored Levi's position, crossing his legs and taking in the man's appearance. He looked absolutely impeccable now. The bags under his eyes from before were completely imperceptible, and not a hair was out of place. He definitely didn't look sickly anymore, though his skin was like porcelain, a barely there hint of fleshy color making him look much less unnatural than he would otherwise. His eyes were a piercing blue, and it contrasted so sharply with his hair and skin that it took Erwin's breath away.

He cleared his throat. "First thing's first, I suppose. Are you really a . . . you know?"

"Yes" In an instant, all that ethereal beauty shifted to something akin to irritation, and Erwin knew right then that this wasn't Levi's first rodeo. Before he could ask another question, the vampire rattled off, "I am a vampire, yes, I am infinitely older than I look, and as you may have noticed, I do, in fact, drink blood."

Erwin was ticking the questions off on mental fingers, rather embarrassed. All standard questions, and Levi knew to answer them before he even asked. Not only had he clearly answered them countless times, but Erwin apparently couldn't even come up with unique ones for a creature he'd spent his entire life researching.

"I am not terribly susceptible to sunlight, but I am sensitive. I am far stronger than any human, and no, I am not willing to demonstrate that. I can process human food but have no need for it nor does it gain me anything. And yes, I am capable of magic."

Erwin was silent for a moment. He felt small under the vampire's expectant stare, despite being much larger, but he refused to show it, because he'd just thought of a question Levi hadn't answered.

"Are all vampires capable of magic?"

"Capable, yes. Adept?" Levi let out a quiet scoff, surprising Erwin. The vampire had something of an attitude when he wasn't gravely injured. He supposed vampires couldn't all be regal. "Let us say it is easier for some than others."

Erwin wracked his brain, thinking back to the previous night, or whenever it was Levi woke up. What else was there? Had he done anything? Said anything?

A curious thought struck him.  _Alpha._ He remembered reading up on dynamics, on the way vampires worked back when the war happened. There wasn't much known besides that there was a power structure - and that as far as humans knew, Alphas stood at the top. Erwin was not particularly interested in that, at the moment; all he had was one vampire, so power dynamics did not mean much to him.

More interesting, though, was the reasoning behind Levi's use of the name. "You called me Alpha."

The vampire's eyebrows shot up like arrows fired from a bow and his eyes widened ever so slightly. Surprise?  _Embarrassment?_

"I . . . I called you that?"

Based on the flustered response, Erwin could make a few guesses as to what it meant to him. Grinning suggestively, Erwin asked, "Does it have anything to do with you sleeping with me?"

Levi shook his head and covered half his face with a hand. "It is nothing. I slept next to you to share heat. You restored my life, so I could restore my magic and warm you while you recovered. Nothing more." He removed his hand, and his expression was composed once more. "Next question."

Erwin had a very strong feeling there was a lot more. "Are you sure?"

_"Next."_

Erwin was stumped again, but despite the vaguely chiding looks, Levi waited patiently. He asked the next most obvious question he could think of. "What happened that night? The night I took you in. What happened to you?"

The airs Levi put up dropped in an instant. His expression was guarded, expectedly so. Erwin couldn't say he was surprised by it. Finding a half-dead vampire in an alley so desperate he begged a human to take him to safety? That was definitely bound to be a hell of a story to tell the grandkids.

"I have enemies," Levi finally said, notably evasively. Erwin couldn't fault him for it. "A lot of them. Had you not arrived, they would have killed me. Had you left me there, they would have returned to finish the job. So . . . I thank you."

Erwin was a tad baffled at the earnest way Levi spoke, but tried to take it in stride, rubbing at his neck a tad awkwardly. Obviously, the situation had been dire, as Levi was dying, but he'd had absolutely no idea it was quite so black and white.

"Well, I can't turn down someone in need," he said modestly, and Levi cracked a smile at the sentiment. "And you - you're proof what I've been trying to say for years. You actually exist!"

"Yes, Erwin." It was the second time Levi had ever said his name, and now that he was properly awake, Erwin found he very much liked the curious way he pronounced it, rolling the 'r' a bit. "I do, in fact, exist."

"Imagine if I could tell Hange!" And then Erwin's face fell. "But I shouldn't tell them, should I?"

Surprisingly, Levi merely shrugged. "I don't care who you tell," he said honestly. "You have this knowledge, and you can do whatever you want with it. Just remember that I am not an exotic animal," he warned, "and that I will  _not_ be placed in danger."

The end of his sentence was punctuated by a startling flash of silver eyes, so brief Erwin thought he had imagined it. His throat was suddenly dry; he swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded.

"That's reasonable," he agreed.

They sat there for a moment, staring somewhat awkwardly at one another, Erwin waiting for some cue that he was free. Levi granted it to him in the form of picking up his cell phone from the end table and handing it over. He pressed it firmly into Erwin's hand, staring into his eyes, and gave a curt nod.

"Message your friend. I'm sure they're quite concerned about you. Tell them what you've found, if you'd like."

"Who, you mean," Erwin corrected. Levi rolled his eyes and granted him a brief smile.

"I'm flattered."

Erwin took the flat tone as his cue, unlocking the phone and opening the messaging app. Seventeen missed texts flashed at him, ranging from bubbly to concerned, and three missed calls winked at him from the notification pane. He felt instantly guilty, and tried hard to think of something worth sending. Finally, he settled on short and to the point:

_I'm fine. I think I found something huge, Hange, but I can't just tell you over the phone. Come over? We really need to talk._

.-.-.-.-.

"Erwin Smith!"

Hange made a beeline for him the moment they were out of the elevator and spotted him standing outside his apartment door. He held his arms open and they threw themselves at him in a massive bear hug, both squeezing the other tight. Hange pulled back and swatted his chest, annoyed.

"You've kept me waiting far too long!" they griped. "You have that look in your eyes, Erwin. I demand to know where the hell you've been."

"Resting," Erwin answered truthfully. Hange did not look impressed.

"This had better be a hell of a discovery," they said flatly.

"It's crazy," Erwin admitted. His smile slipped a notch, his voice going from pleased to see them to serious. "You may ridicule me, or even think I'm flat out stupid, but you have to believe me, okay?"

Hange placed their hands on their hips. "Spit it out, Erwin."

"I found a vampire."

Erwin didn't know what response he had expected from his best friend. He honestly and truly hadn't thought about it. He could say for certain, though, that he didn't expect a deadpan stare.

"Did you, now?"

They thought he was pulling their leg, he realized. They looked so exhausted, so dead inside. Had he done this? No doubt they had spent the last two days absolutely miserable, worried sick for him, and now he was spouting what she had always thought was nonsense. Erwin felt guilty, but furrowed his eyebrows determinedly. He was going to convince Hange this time.

"I have proof," he insisted. Hange only stared at him as if he'd grown a second head, probably wondering why they had even bothered to worry about him.

Erwin opened the door to the apartment and allowed Hange inside. On a couch in the living room sat Levi, picking at his nails idly with his legs crossed. He had dressed himself in simple gray sweats and a t-shirt of Erwin's - not exactly the epitome of undead immortal, but it was better than the tattered clothes he'd arrived in. Erwin cleared his throat.

"Levi, meet my friend."

Levi didn't bother to look up at them. He seemed so very over the whole thing, and it hadn't even started. "Hello, Erwin's friend," he greeted blandly. "My name is Levi, and as this wonderful idiot probably already told you . . . "

He trailed off, staring at Hange with a strange expression, like he was thinking hard. For an instant, his eyes turned brilliant silver, then they widened, and he stood up with his mouth hanging slightly open. Erwin looked at Hange and found them in a similar state. Hand over their mouth, eyes open wide, tears pricking at the corners. Their shoulders trembled, and they lowered their hand to show an also trembling lip.

Levi's voice was hoarse, thick with emotion when he spoke into the silence.

"Four-Eyes?"

Hange swallowed hard, and the tears fell shamelessly down their cheeks. They reached out with a hesitant hand, and Levi did the same, linking their fingers together.

"Short-stack . . . "


	4. Chapter 4

Hesitant hands reached outward, two people that had supposedly never met before lacing their fingers together, and they fit like puzzle pieces. Like they  _belonged_ there, hands interlocked, palms pressed together. The two of them looked so comfortable together. Even the thickest of idiots would have noticed the softness in their eyes, the familiarity. The moment lasted an eternity, and Erwin scarcely dared to breathe.

And then Hange was throwing themself at the Levi, a pathetic wail leaving their lips, and Levi's hands went to their waist as their arms looped around his neck.

"L-Lee-vi-i!" The attempt at saying his name was interrupted by sobbing, and Levi merely rubbed their back as they let it all out. Erwin had never heard Hange cry like this, loud and unashamed, trembling in the vampire's embrace.

"Hange . . . " Levi's voice was tender, a loving voice reminiscent of a parent speaking to their child. For an instant, Erwin remembered the woman from his childhood. It was gone before he could grasp the image. Levi held Hange close, resting his forehead against their shoulder.

"I thought your family was executed," Hange managed to choke out. Levi's fingers tightened in their shirt.

"They were," he mumbled in response. "I barely made it out alive." He pulled back, hands moving to Hange's shoulders as he looked them over. "But you . . . by now, I thought you'd be . . . "

"Never," Hange said, giving a watery grin, and Levi mirrored it with a small smile. "I'm too stubborn to croak, short-baby."

"I always hoped so, four-eyes."

They drew close again, foreheads resting together, and Erwin felt like he was intruding at this point - intruding, in his own home! It was pretty obvious at this point that his new visitor and old friend knew each other, and by the sound of it, were incredibly close once. It still baffled him as to how. Hange was human, after all. He would have to question them about their past when this blew over.

"Where have you been? I looked all over for you for a century and a half."

"Everywhere, looking for you. I never gave up on you, not for a second."

They took a seat on the couch. Erwin wanted to sit in the armchair, but even just breathing made him feel out of place in the scene. And yet he was included a moment later when Levi glanced over to him, looking uncertain.

"So . . . you met him first?"

Hange looked over as well, a small, apologetic smile on their face. "I wasn't the first. He's practically a magnet for us."

Us? Who else had he met that could have a connection with them? Unless - the woman from his youth - ?

"Wait," Erwin blurted, unnecessarily loud, and he paused for a moment to compose himself as the other two stared at him, somehow incredibly patient despite his struggle. "You're a . . . " He found it hard to spit out the word, to associate it with someone who had been so vehemently against the lore before. It was mind-boggling, nearly impossible to him.

"Vampire," Hange prompted, and Erwin only nodded mutely. "The cat's out of the bag."

His best friend of four years, a vampire. Hiding under his nose, dismissing his research, calling him names and waving him off as a fanatic for  _four years._

"I can't believe it," he said, leaning back in his chair and running a hand through his hair. Hange shifted slightly, and Levi eyed Erwin wearily, as if expecting an outburst.

"You understand, right?" Hange rested a placating hand on Erwin's knee, eyes downcast in what seemed to be shame before they looked up to meet his gaze. "I had to protect them. Us." They looked away again, withdrawing their hand. "There were so many times I wanted to tell you, but . . . "

"I get it," Erwin interrupted, sighing. "I understand. But I want to know how you two know each other. You know, besides both being vampires. I doubt that's enough to know each other so well."

They were both silent a moment, and Hange studied him closely. "You're taking this astonishingly well," they said slowly. "You're alright with this?"

"Yes, Hange."

" . . . are you sure?"

 _"Yes,"_ Erwin repeated, exasperated. "It's weird, it's a lot to take in, but you're still Hange, so I can handle it. Are you going to answer my question?"

Hange opened their mouth to speak, but Levi beat them to it.

"Childhood friends," he said solemnly, grabbing for Hange's hand, and Erwin saw him give it a squeeze. "That's really all there is to know."

Erwin got the feeling - scratch that, he  _knew_ Levi was lying, or at least not telling him everything. Hange's baffled glance only confirmed it, but Levi shook his head at their silent question, and unfortunately for Erwin, they did not offer up any additional information.

"That's really it," Hange echoed with a small smile, and Erwin was forced to give in.

He leaned back once more, and that was the cue that conversation was over. They all sat there for a while, Hange and Levi curling up closer to one another, and Erwin allowed his eyes to close. What in the world was going to happen now? Was there going to be some big revelation, or were things going to be fairly normal despite all he had discovered today?

Christ, he was tired. How was it he was so tired after having slept so long? He could feel himself sink deeper into the chair, drifting, drifting. He could worry about all of this later. For now, he could afford a small nap.

.-.-.-.-.

Levi liked to clean. It was a shock, coming home to a pristine home. Erwin had always figured he had kept well on top of things, especially for a guy, but his vampire roommate seemed to think otherwise. At first Erwin figured there was probably not much else to do, but Levi seemed to find it as a necessity over a hobby. He could not judge too harshly, though. Levi was an entirely different species; if he had a couple strange quirks, well, he was held to different standards.

Levi had a fondness for tea. Earl Grey, chai, rooibos, pretty much anything under the sun. He very strongly rejected Erwin's instant tea, however, breaking out the ancient tea set from under his cabinet that Erwin had kept in memory of his mother, and brewing it fresh every time. Levi had asked permission, of course. He claimed a cup of tea a day was calming. Erwin supposed he had quite a lot to be stressed about, and kept his cabinet stocked.

Levi did, in fact, have emotions. While the history books had Erwin believing vampires were bloodthirsty brutes with no morals, no manners, and most importantly, no feelings, Levi was quite the opposite. He turned up his nose at the foul things on the news, he always said his "please" and "thank you"s, and he  _felt._ Despite how well he could hide it, Erwin found Levi snorting at humorous things, growing frustrated at a stain in the carpet, and the kicker, nearly crying at his reunion with Hange.

On the topic of Hange - Levi had secrets. Many, many secrets. Hange was a walking mystery to him still. Every time Erwin attempted to turn the topic to their identity, they gave him something vague and ran off to converse with Levi. Often the two would hide in the guest room, speaking in low tones. Erwin tried not to be offended. They had potentially two centuries of life to catch up with each other on. It seemed they knew when Erwin was trying to listen in, too - vampires, of course, why wouldn't they? - growing silent when he approached the door.

Sometimes the conversation became heated. Erwin did his best to respect their privacy, no matter how badly he wanted to know what they talked about. But then, one day, it became a shouting match.

Erwin came home from work with Chinese takeout; it was the norm now that he had introduced it to Levi, who had quickly shown favor towards the food. He was prepared to sing out his arrival and offer the treat as he removed his shoes at the entryway. A pair of angry voices had other ideas.

"I don't care! He doesn't need to know any of that!"

"He does if you're going to be living with him!"

"Then I'll just leave."

 _"What?!_ You're going to get killed out there! You're safe here!"

"With some ignorant human? Are you an idiot?!"

"I trust him, Levi, why can't you?"

"You know  _exactly_ why I can't trust him! I can't trust  _anyone!"_

There was a silence - short, but it felt as though it lasted an eternity. Footsteps, then, a door slamming, and Erwin panicked, but the duo stopped in the kitchen. 

"Hange, I'm - "

"He's not an Alpha," Hange interrupted, and Erwin was shocked by how cold their voice was. He had never heard them like that before. ""No matter how much he seems like one, he isn't. You're acting unfairly. He doesn't deserve it."

There was no escape. Hange was leaving the kitchen and Erwin had not moved a muscle. They ran right into him, and he caught a glimpse of distressed anger before they smoothed their face into a smile. One brief hug and a glimpse into the bag of takeout later, the door was shutting behind them, a little too loudly for comfort.

Levi stepped into the room, and flinched a little when he noticed Erwin was there. They stood there for too long, and Erwin cleared his throat. Levi looked away at that, leaning against the kitchen door frame. Erwin decided not to push. Instead, he held out the bag.

"Chinese?"

It was hesitant, but Levi approached, eyes on Erwin as if waiting for him to make a move or say something. He accepted a container of rice noodles and a pair of chopsticks, and settled into the large armchair, leaving Erwin to the couch. 

They ate in silence, and Erwin was halfway through his food before he noticed Levi was merely pushing his around like a child with something unsavory on his plate. Their eyes met, and Levi looked away again.

"You heard us fighting," he said quietly.

Erwin nodded. "I did."

"Then we have some things to discuss."

Erwin figured he should probably also leave his food for later, so he closed the container and set it on the table. "Throw it at me, then."

Levi smiled weakly.


End file.
